Forcepoint simplifies partner program, increases financial incentives

Cybersecurity vendor Forcepoint is shaking up its partner program with more investment and a simpler structure.

A new top ‘Titanium’ tier has been added, as well as automated support infrastructure and a simpler engagement model with broader incentives.

Forcepoint claimed that its channel push has taken business from Symantec and McAfee through reseller partners in a statement announcing the program changes.

It described its offering as data-first SASE cybersecurity for customers with cloud-first and hybrid infrastructure.

Financial updates to the program, set to go live on November 15, include increased financial rewards for partners who hit the new Titanium level, rewards for ‘partner-led growth’, and increased deal registration profit.

The partner portal has also been updated with tools to make deal registration easier, license management, access to training and technical content, and quote and ordering integration with partner systems.

The company said that the new program model suits reseller, MSP and SI partners and that it will launch new features for the program throughout 2022.

“The most successful companies stand on the shoulders of partners, and partner-led growth is central to our strategy,” Forcepoint channel sales senior vice president Parag Patel said.

“When 98 percent of our commercial business is through the channel, we’re confident we know what our partners need. They don’t want to feel left behind by cybersecurity vendors endlessly restructuring or overly focused on point products of the past. They want to build lucrative value-added infosec services and solutions that can proactively prevent compromise, mitigate risk and bring digital agility to customers. We expect our new Titanium partners to be at the forefront of this effort.”

Hitachi Systems cybersecurity practice senior vice president Vivek Gupta said, “Hitachi has partnered with Forcepoint for over 16 years with notable mutual success: its leading cybersecurity products deliver the data security and business flexibility which our customers need.”

“Joining the enhanced program at Titanium level offers us significant opportunities for growth, and with the tailored support of Forcepoint, we will be able to enable our customers as they begin their journeys into building SASE infrastructures.” 

Forcepoint has made a couple of acquisitions this year, including Cyberinc and Deep Secure after it was offloaded by former parent Raytheon to private equity firm Francisco Partners.